(A) General.
(1) No user shall contribute or cause to be contributed, directly or indirectly, any pollutant or wastewater which will interfere with the operation or performance of the POTW. These general prohibitions apply to all such users of a POTW whether or not the user is subject to national categorical pretreatment standards or any other national, state or local pretreatment standards or requirements.
(2) A user may not contribute the following substances to any POTW:
(a) Any liquids, solids or gases which, by reason of their nature or quantity, are, or may be sufficient either alone or by interaction with other substances either alone or by interaction with other substances to cause fire or explosion or be injurious in any other way to the POTW or to the operation of the POTW. At no time, shall two successive readings on an explosion hazard meter, at the point of discharge into the system (or at any point in the system) be more than 10% of the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the meter. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides and sulfides and any other substances which the Town, the state or EPA has notified the user is a fire hazard or a hazard to the system. Solid or viscous substances which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the wastewater treatment facilities such as, but not limited to: grease, garbage with particles greater than one-half inch in any dimension, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshings, entrails, whole blood, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, spent lime, stone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, wastepaper, wood, plastics, gas, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining or processing of fuel or lubricating oil, mud or glass grinding or polishing wastes, butchers offal or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing interference with the proper operation of the sewage system or the wastewater treatment plant;
(b) Any wastewater having a pH less than 6.0, unless the POTW is specifically designed to accommodate such wastewater, or wastewater having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and/or personnel of the POTW. Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a toxic effect in the receiving waters of the POTW, or to exceed the limitation set forth in a categorical pretreatment standard. A toxic pollutant shall include, but not be limited to, any pollutant identified pursuant to § 307(a) of the Act. Any noxious or malodorous liquids, gases or solids which either singly or by interaction with other wastes are sufficient to create a public nuisance or hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for maintenance and repair. Any substance which will cause the POTW to violate its limits and restrictions set forth in the Town’s NPDES permit. Any substance with objectionable color not removed in the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions. Any wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW treatment plant resulting in interference; but in no case, wastewater with a temperature at the introduction into the POTW which exceeds 40°C (104°F) or any liquid or vapor discharged into the wastewater system having a temperature higher than 150°F (65°C). Any unpolluted water including, but not limited to, non-contact cooling water;
(c) Any waters or wastes containing acid metallic pickling wastes or concentrated plating solutions; and
(d) Any toxic radioactive isotopes of such half life or concentration as exceeds limits established by federal regulations. The radioactive isotopes I 131 and P 32 used in hospitals are not prohibited, if they are properly diluted before being discharged into the sewage system. Any waters or wastes containing any toxic substances in quantities that are sufficient to interfere with the biochemical processes of the wastewater treatment plant, that will pass through the plant into the receiving stream in amounts exceeding the standards set by federal, interstate, state or other competent authority having jurisdiction, or contaminate sewage sludge, that contain iron or any other toxic ions, compounds or substances in concentrations or amounts exceeding the limits established from time to time by the Town that exert an excessive chlorine requirement on the POTW. Any unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting “slugs” that for a duration of five minutes or more have a concentration of flow or more than five times the average concentration of the BOD, the suspended solids or flow of the customer’s sewage discharged during a 24-hour period of normal operation and are released in a single extraordinary discharge event which causes interference to the POTW. Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids or dissolved solids of such character and quantity that unusual provision, attention and expense would be required to handle such materials at the wastewater treatment plant, its pumping station or other facilities. Any substance which may cause the POTWs effluent or any other product of the POTW such as residues, sludges or scums, to be unsuitable for reclamation and reuse or to interfere with the reclamation process. In no case, shall a substance discharged to the POTW cause the POTW to be in non-compliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines or regulations developed under § 405 of the Clean Water Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1345; any criteria, guidelines or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act, being 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq., Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, being 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq., the Clean Air Act, being 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq., the Toxic Substances Control Act, being 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq., or state criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used. Any wastewater which causes a hazard to human life or creates a public nuisance.
(3) When the Public Works Director determines that a user(s) is contributing to the POTW, any of the above enumerated substances in such amounts as to interfere with the operation of the POTW, or Public Works Director, the POTW shall:
(a) Advise the user(s) of the impact of the contribution on the POTW; and
(b) Require pretreatment and/or procedures to correct the interference with the POTW and eliminate the prohibited discharge.
(B) Specific pollutant limitations. No person shall discharge wastewater containing in excess of the following concentrations at the point(s) where such wastewater enters the sewage system based upon a 24-hour by-flow composite sample and upon the average monthly discharge. Multiple industrial wastewater discharges from a permitted facility may be combined in a flow weighted manner to determine compliance with the following limitations for a 24-hour composite sample.
Maximum Concentration (mg/1) after 6-30-1984 | Daily Maximum |
Maximum Concentration (mg/1) after 6-30-1984 | Daily Maximum |
Cadmium, total | 0.75 |
Chromium, total | 3.0 |
Copper, total | 0.6 |
Cyanide, total by distillation | 1.0 |
Lead, total | 0.4 |
Mercury, total | 0.001 |
Nickel, total | 3.0 |
Silver, total | 0.24 |
Zinc, total | 3.0 |
pH | 6.0 - 9.0 |
Total toxic organics (TTO) volatile, acid extractable, base neutral extractable, pesticides 1 PCBs | 2.13 |
Phenols, total | 1.0 |
Oil & grease (animal or vegetable origin) | 200 |
Oil & grease (mineral or petroleum origin) | 100 |
TSS | 250 |
BOD5 | 250 |
(C) Federal categorical pretreatment standards. Upon the promulgation of the federal categorical pretreatment standards for a particular industrial subcategory, the federal standard, if more stringent than limitations imposed under this subchapter for sources in that subcategory, shall immediately supersede the limitations imposed under this subchapter. The Public Works Director shall notify all affected users of the applicable reporting requirements under 40 C.F.R. § 403.12.
(D) Modification of federal categorical pretreatment standards. Where the POTW achieves consistent removal of pollutants limited by federal pretreatment standards, the POTW may apply to the approval authority for modification of specific limits in the federal pretreatment standards. CONSISTENT REMOVAL shall mean the average of the lowest 50% of the removals measured according to 40 C.F.R. § 403.7(b) and shall mean a reduction in amount of a pollutant in the POTWs effluent or alternation of the nature of a pollutant during treatment at the POTW when measured according to the procedures set forth in 40 C.F.R. § 403.7 of General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution, promulgated pursuant to the Act. The POTW may then modify pollutant discharge limits in the federal pretreatment standards if the requirements contained in 40 C.F.R. § 403.7, are fulfilled and prior approval from the approval authority is obtained.
(E) POTW right of revision. The POTW reserves the right to establish by ordinance more stringent limitations or requirements on discharges to the wastewater disposal system if deemed necessary to comply with the objectives presented in § 54.096 of this chapter.
(F) Excessive discharge. No user shall ever increase the use of process water or, in any way, attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the limitations contained in the federal categorical pretreatment standards, or in any other pollutant-specific limitation developed by the Town or state. (Comment: dilution may be an acceptable means of complying with some of the prohibitions set forth in division (A) above (e.g., the pH prohibition)). The POTW may impose mass limitations on users who are using dilution to meet the pretreatment standards or requirements of this subchapter.
(G) Accidental discharges. Each user shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other substances regulated by this subchapter. Where necessary facilities to prevent accidental discharge of prohibited materials shall be provided and maintained at the owner or user’s own cost and expense. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection shall be submitted to the POTW for review, and shall be approved by the POTW before construction of the facility. No user who commences contribution to the POTW after the effective date of this subchapter shall be permitted to introduce pollutants into the system until accidental discharge procedures have been approved by the POTW. Review and approval of such plans and operating procedures shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility to modify the user’s facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this subchapter. In the case of an accidental discharge, it is the responsibility of the user to immediately telephone and notify the POTW of the incident. The notification shall include location of the discharge, type of waste, concentration and volume and corrective actions.
(H) Written notice. Within seven days following an accidental discharge, the user shall submit to the Public Works Director a detailed written report describing the cause of the discharge and the measures to be taken by the user to prevent similar future occurrences. Such notification shall not relieve the user of any expense, loss, damage or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage to the POTW, fish kills or any other damage to person or property; nor shall such notification relieve the user of any fines, civil penalties or other liability which may be imposed by this section or other applicable law.
(I) Notice to employees. A notice shall be permanently posted on the user’s bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a dangerous discharge. Employers shall insure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.
(J) State requirements. State requirements and limitations on discharges shall apply in any case where they are more stringent than federal requirements and limitations or those in this subchapter or Ord. 4-78.
(K) Responsibility for obstructing or damaging sewers. If a public sewer becomes obstructed or damaged because any of the aforementioned substances were improperly discharged, the person or persons responsible for such discharge shall be billed and shall pay for the expenses incurred by the POTW in cleaning out, repairing or rebuilding the sewer.
(L) Special agreements. No statement contained in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any special agreement or arrangement between the POTW and any person whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the POTW for treatment whether with or without pretreatment; provided that, such agreement does not violate national categorical pretreatment standards for the specific category of industrial user; provided that, there is no impairment of the functioning of the sewage works by reason of the admission of such wastes and provided that no extra costs are incurred by the POTW without recompense by the person. All or certain industrial wastes shall be excluded when conditions are such that NPDES permit restrictions cannot be met. Surcharges shall be imposed by the POTW for any compatible pollutant discharged in excess of the limits set forth herein. No new connection shall be made unless there is flow capacity available in all down stream sewers, lift stations, force mains and the wastewater treatment plant including capacity for BOD and SS.
(2005 Code, § 102.21)